Sam Heughan on the West Highland Way in Scotland
Sam Heughan
In his new memoir Waypoints: My Scottish Journey, “Outlander” star Sam Heughan chronicles his trip across the West Highland Way, a rugged 96-mile walking route that he describes as being “intended for people to immerse themselves in the Scottish landscape.” The result is a winding tale not just of Heughan’s life story before and after the success of the show, but also of brooding mountains, rainy countryside and unexpected friendships across the region that’s “effectively” the “homeland” of his character, Jamie. Here, we’re sharing an excerpt of Waypoints to fuel your wanderlust, whether you’re planning a trip to Scotland or need some inspiration for a similar type of trek. It’s taken from a point on the journey in which Heughan chooses to abandon camping and adjust to a more leisurely pace; in the process, he discovers simple pleasures on a part of the route that falls just north of Glasgow, near Loch Lomond lake and Strath Fillan, a mountain valley.
I am surrounded by the Crianlarich mountains. East of Loch Lomond and south of Strath Fillan, with Ben More being the highest peak, at 1,174 meters. This afternoon, I can confidently say that I am deep in the Scottish wilderness. My path skirts a broad ribbon of water in what is known as a strath, or river valley — hence the Strath of Fillan. But who is Fillan? I wonder. Who am I? I’m nobody out here, and that’s exactly what I want to be.
Sam Heughan on the West Highland Way in Scotland
Sam Heughan
Normally, with my hood up and head down, I’d miss out on details I now find fascinating. The mushrooms have kept me entertained all day, but it isn’t just the sights like this, nor the sound of birds taking flight or water tumbling over rock. The scent of pine and wet soil is so rich I can’t ignore it, but above all it’s the sense of history that captures my attention. This area is magical, and it does feel like I’m entering a very special land as I cross over the water, leaving the forest behind. A sign on the bridge makes me chuckle: Tyndrum Massage — call or txt Ang, and the number below. ‘Ah Ang, gie’s the full body an dinnae hold back on the coconut oil!’
As my path crosses farmland, I pass stone ruins that stop me in my tracks. A small information plaque reveals that this is the site of St Fillan’s Priory, which was endowed by Robert the Bruce. I learn that some of the graves, timeworn and clad in moss, date back to the 8th century. I wonder what life they have witnessed passing by, and silently pay my respects to the dead. In the background, the magnificent mountain of Ben More looms large. Though I’m not religious, it’s moments like this when I can appreciate a certain spirituality. I finish reading the plaque, which tells me that in the 1870s, another graveyard was established on higher ground. I look across at the foothills, struck by the air of peace and solemnity I have found here.
Sam Heughan at the “original end of the West Highland Way.” There, “a statue of a weary Highland walker marks the new finish line in the town square. He is occasionally decorated with a traffic cone by local youths, as is the Scottish way,” Heughan writes.
Sam Heughan
Just then, submerged in the landscape along with the mythology and wonder of its history, I realize I am doing something I had to learn to do on stage. I have lost myself to the moment. Not in character. As me.
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